WIBU? How do you manage shopping with a buggy?

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Most days I pop in a local small supermarket to buy a few items such as milk/ bread/ fruit (big family!). I normally have a buggy with me, either single and holding a toddler's hand or a double buggy. With a few items I often pop them on the hood before paying, with a larger amount I tend to hook a bag for life with a handle over each buggy handle so it's open and pop stuff in there. You could see in it easily. At the till I take the bag off and empty it on the conveyor then refill it after, leaving the bag on the belt. The buggy otherwise is very clear of stuff, no footmuffs, extra bags etc. They have wire baskets and even on a lighter shop with the single I can't control the buggy in the aisles whilst holding one in my hand. The trollies don't have seats either.

Today a member of staff loudly confronted me in front of other shoppers saying 'you can't do that' and 'they'll be watching you on the videos'. I was confused at first and queried doing what, until he pointed at the bag. I'd nearly finished the shop and didn't have hands for the apples/ courgettes/ milk/ bread/ pasta I'd got nor if I got a basket did I have hands free to transport it to the till so I ended up emptying the bag there and then as I couldn't see another way to stop him repeating I couldn't use a bag. I normally do it at least 3 times a week.

I went to the Tesco Metro 4 doors up and asked the guard if it was allowed in there, I got a shrug and a 'whatcha on about' look.

Obviously the solution is to shop elsewhere, but do others do this? WIBU to do so? If so how do those with buggies manage? I used to balance a basket on the hood until it bent.

Also if it is wrong, wouldn't you just bring the customer a basket with a smile and ask them to use it rather than confront? I doubt I fitted any shoplifting profile. The bag was open and visible and I wasn't acting shifty or handling things of value.....

I balanced the basket on the hoods when I was shopping with my twins. Although it can push the hoods and distort them if you put heavy item like milk in on a regular basis.

If it was a store with the larger, wheeled baskets they were hooked over a handle and dragged along.

I think I'd have gone for faux gushing gratitude that they were going to help me with my shop by carrying the basket.

It goes in the basket of the buggy. I used to be able to do basket in one hand and push buggy with the other but sn buggy plus child is too heavy for that now. No one has ever said anything but if they did I would request they carry a basket for me whilst I shopped.

Oops... I am a frequent buggy shopper and I always put items in the basket below. Problem is, the basket is usually full of other things too . No one has ever questioned me (good old ALDI) and I always triple check the basket (and my baby's hands!) for anything left. Never been a problem.

I'd have said "GOOD. The video will show that you're harassing an honest customer."

How did I know it would be Budgens?!

My local Co-op became a Budgens recently. I've had the same experience as you, OP. I wasn't polite about it.

I always shop like that. I find it's more accepted now everyone is told to bring bags for life. I love shopping now I've got a buggy. Just pile everything under and in the bags on the handles, pay, and go. Much easier that using a trolley or basket and I don't have to carry anything. (Yes I am lazy!)
What would you do if you did a scan as you shop? The whole idea of that is scan it, bag it and then scan your scanner at the end and pay?!?
I'd just tell them that they can watch all they want. You aren't committing an offence as you have full intentions to pay for the goods.

You did nothing wrong, call the store and complain about the worker harassing and humiliating you in front of other shoppers.

I had a clip that went from buggy/pram to hold the basket.
Bought it in Mothercare about 25 years ago
It was amazing, pity if they don't make them anymore.

buggy basket all the way for me... You can do a weeks shop and shove it all in the basket of my rubix. I cant recommend them enough, steering is soooo precise too even off road. When my eldest was abit younger we had a buggyboard clipped on the back for him. But seriously the basket is HUGE my 2yo climbs in there and goes to sleep.

I think (it was a long time ago) I used to hang the shop basket off the pram handle, but yes to stuffing things in the hood etc.

I have to say, I was never followed in a store until I had a pram/pushchair and then I obviously fit the profile and was followed on a regular basis until the pushchair went.

I would definitely go back & complain about how you were made to feel. It sounds a similar set up to the village I used to live in. If it is unlikely then I know the management will back you up

please complain about this - it's outrageous behaviour.

Blimey. EVERYONE shops that way in Paris.

That security man needs re-training!

I rest the basket on my hood of my buggy

But I know it will take the weight without buckling as my 3 year old will sit on the hood in her legs get too tired

I put stuff under the buggy, in the hood, in a bag hooked on to the handle, on the baby if he'll tolerate it! I have never been stopped or told not to. I have been offered help by staff.l to carry larger items to the till and then to the car.

Sorry I've only skimmed the whole thread so apologies if it's been said etc.

I can understand that they may not want you putting stuff in a bag to take around, but you've been doing it for who knows how long and not had a problem. If they decided it was now, fair enough, but they could have asked you to one side and asked politely for you to use a basket. It's clear you're not intending to shop lift it .

I only have one child and get groceries delivered, but regularly run out of things, so totally get you there. I too also like to walk places. My son didn't walk til 2 years old so have been so dependent on my pram.

I usually hang the basket on my arm and hold on to the pram with both hands. Though both of my prams do maneuver well. Second one didn't used to one handed until I'd cleaned it and lubed up the wheels, so it moved easier one handed when I needed to. Heavy stuff I put in the hood, poking out and kind of half held onto it with a finger. Have recently ditched the pram, son is a nightmare with walking, always wanting carried, I can't manage to carry him, so I attempt to either do without or wait for partner to be about, or just send him to the shops on his way home.

As for the shop lifting profile, the security at the sainsbirys I used to go to started following me around as soon as it was obvious I was pregnant. Then when ds finally came along, was more or less glued to my heels every single time. Been shopping there 6 years, if I wanted to steal I'd have done it already.

I had exactly this same thing happened to me in an Iceland - the woman was really rude and nasty and accused me of hiding milk in the bottom of the pram. I called for the manager and asked what he suggested - he said I should ask for help. I asked him to help me do my shopping. He looked around for someone else to help - all the staff were on the checkouts. I gave him back the bottle of milk and left the shop - never set foot in it again.

I use a reusable shopping bag on a hook hung of ds's sn buggy as there is no hood, no under buggy basket and a basket won't hang on the hook. I suppose I could balance a basket on ds's head, but he might object!

God he sounds like a little weasel doesn't he. Probably feeling all righteous that he's 'foiled' a shoplifter

YANBU

I do exactly as you OP and as many other have said using the basket under pram, hood and tucked in around baby if desperate. (A good way to get your loaf of bread knawed at through the packet if you're not paying attention).
This is literally the first time it's ever crossed my mind someone might think I was intending to steal it. The only point it would be acceptable to approach you is if you attempted to then leave the shop without paying (obviously).

For the people who say they can push a double round one handed (or the 'battle pram' as we used to call ours) I can only assume you've not actually tried this?
As for the glib comment about 'simply' using the trolley seat, not everyone drives everywhere, and when shopping local it's not easy to transport the child, accompanying bag of 'essentials' not to mention the shopping to and from the shops without the aid of the pram. Where are we leaving it when doing the shop?

I sometimes do the same as you OP and its never been a problem. If I have too much for a basket then I use a sling and push a trolley but then I only have 1 DD. Unpacking your shopping and leaving it there for him was brilliant, he might think twice about it next time

This drives me mad. We live in a small town(8500 pop.) with 30+ twin families, two small supermarkets and neither have a single double trolley despite twin group repeatedly asking. So yep stuff does get put on or in the buggy.

I've had single and double buggies and would easily hook a wire basket on the handles. Obviously it looks suspicious when you're loading a bag and if they have to have someone watch you it's an inconvenience too.

It's not shoplifting until you leave the store without paying, even if you've stuffed a loaf of bread down your top.

You did nothing wrong.

I hang the basket on the pushchair handles. No way could I hold basket and push the pushchair and look after runaway toddler.